SPORTS
SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 • HILLTOP PRESS • A5
HILLTOP
PRESS
Editor: Melanie Laughman, mlaughman@communitypress.com, 513-248-7573
HIGH SCHOOL | YOUTH | RECREATIONAL
CommunityPress.com
Lackey twins spell double trouble Monsters of Defense lead team By Tom Skeen tskeen@communitypress.com
MOUNT HEALTHY — In Mount Healthy, the term “Lackey” doesn’t mean servant or follower. It means double trouble for Fighting Owl football opponents. Twin brothers Justin and Jordan Lackey have teamed up to help the Mount Healthy football team to a 5-0 start and a topthree ranking in The Enquirer Divisions II-VI area coaches’ poll. While they compete on the same team on Friday nights, when they get home it’s a different story. “Me and my brother like competition,” Justin said. “We don’t like losing at all. We get home, play Madden (video game) and we get real mad when we lose. We take it just as serious as we do football.” Jordan made sure to point out who won the video game battle, at least for a day. “(The games are) competi-
Justin, right, and Jordan Lackey have combined for 4.5 sacks on the season to help the Owls get off to a 5-0 start this season. TOM SKEEN/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
tive,” he said. “I beat him twice (Sept. 19) with the Bengals. I made him quit.” While he may have had the upper hand on that day, the Lackeys never quit on the football field. Coach Arvie Crouch said they have the intangibles you can’t coach, like a high motor and heart. The 5-foot-9-inch juniors have combined for 4.5 sacks (Justin has 2.5), three forced fumbles and two fumble recov-
eries. “We just play hard and sometimes try to out-do each other,” Jordan said. “We just make sure we do each other’s job.” Jordan, who lines up at outside linebacker, and Justin, who is a defensive end, motivate their defense. While the whole team was exhausted from running sprints at practice, Justin walked around telling everybody he was ready for more. “We’ve been practicing real
hard,” Justin said. “Since two-adays and since the season started, we are working hard and have a lot to prove... We don’t want to rely on points this year. We want to rely on our record and go to the playoffs and maybe have home-field advantage.” At the same practice , Justin hit the quarterback in an 11-on-11 drill so hard it took him a few minutes to get up. And it was just practice. “It’s just motivation and working to play better to be the best you can be for our team,” Jordan said about what drives the two. “We want to go 10-0 but can only take it one game at a time.” Justin gave his defense the nickname “Monsters of Defense.” Even with that nickname and the defense giving up just 8.25 points per game, the brothers will never be satisfied with how their unit plays. “The defense has to pick it up,” Justin said. “The offense is doing great right now. They have a whole lot of weapons and we all have a lot of weapons. We have enough elements that can make it to state probably, but we are just going week by week.”
Making strides
JEFF SWINGER/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
Mohawks improved but still looking for wins over conference elite By Nick Dudukovich
McAuley's Libbi Giuliano, left, and Jordyn Thiery dig for the ball against Ursuline during the Sept. 18 match at Ursuline Academy.
ndudukovich@communitypress.com
COLLEGE HILL — Gene Toms is only in his third season at the helm of the McAuley volleyball program, but he knows his team has taken a big step in the right direction. The Mohawks already own three GGCL Scarlet wins, after securing just two victories last season. “We’ve come into the season with the highest expectations,” Toms said. And while Toms is pleased with his team’s start, the Mohawks still have some hurdles to clear. On Sept. 16, the Mohawks played Ursuline in a clash between two of the city’s top-ranked teams. Ursuline entered the contest ranked No. 4 in the Enquirer’s city poll, while McAuley was fifth. But despite the momentum the Mo-
hawks carried into the match, Ursuline eliminated the Mohawks in four games. Two days later, McAuley fell 3-0 to Mount Notre Dame — the No. 1-ranked team in the state. “Those are the opportunities to climb in those rankings,” Toms said. “…It’s the Ursulines and (Mount Notre Dames) and Lakotas…those are the teams we need to
beat to move ahead.” As McAuley bunkers down for the second half of the season, the squad should continue to receive stellar efforts from several players along the way. At hitter, Jordyn Thiery and Taylor Bove have been consistent when it comes to cashing in points. “We’re going to go as far as they are able to take us,” Toms said. “They’re a major part of our offense.” Bove is fifth in the Scarlet with 108 kills (through Sept. 19), while Thiery is right behind her with 99. See MCAULEY, Page A6
St. Xavier quarterback Nicholas Tensing throws an 80-yard touchdown to Kevin Milligan on the first play against Moeller. JOSEPH FUQUA II/THE COMMUNITY PRESS
St. X, Tensing bomb Crusaders By Tom Skeen tskeen@communitypress.com
After a pair of last-minute losses the last two weeks, St. Xavier came out firing and scored on five of its seven first-half possessions en route to a 49-21 victory over previously unbeaten Moeller. Junior quarterback Nick Tensing tossed for 248 yards and four touchdowns, including 208 in the first half and all four scores. Senior wide out Kevin Milligan caught nine balls for 139 yards and two scores, while running back C.J. Hilliard rushed for 131 yards and a score on 17 carries. On defense, seniors Ryan Berning and Joe Barrett each recorded 13 tackles, while junior Nick Carovillano had three tackles for loss and a sack. The Crusaders entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll, No. 2 in the AP state poll and No. 9 nationally by USA Today. After averaging 481.5 yards per game and 43.3 points through the first four games, the Bombers held the Crusaders to 345 yards of offense. The Bomber offense got rolling early with Tensing hooking up with Milligan for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. It was 14-0 three plays later when Ryan Frey intercepted a Spencer Iacovone pass and returned it for a 32 yards for a score. The Bombers will look to move to 4-2 when the travel to Elder Sept. 28.
Summit 14, North College Hill 6
Summit had just enough offense to edge the visiting Trojans. The teams played to a scoreless tie until the fourth quarter, when Summit junior quarterback Antonio Woods connected with his receivers for a pair of touchdowns. NCH running back Tevin Brown put the Trojans on the scoreboard with a 70-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Next game: NCH plays at Cincinnati Country Day Sept. 28.
Mount Healthy 35, Little Miami 0
Lightning caused the game to be called halfway through the See FOOTBALL, Page A6